The Best Gluten Free Yeast Rolls

This recipe for “the best gluten-free yeast rolls” used to be my number one recipe on a previous blog. At the time, my husband had to adhere to a gluten-free lifestyle, and I shared my gluten-free creations via my blog. Since that time, he has healed his gut and no longer needs to eat entirely gluten-free, and I have moved on from recipe writing.

Today, I decided to share this delicious gluten-free roll recipe with you, it would be too sad to let it die in internet oblivion.

A Thanksgiving Tradition

I first created this dinner roll recipe for Thanksgiving.

For many years now, it has been a family Thanksgiving tradition, “mama bakes fresh rolls for Turkey day.” Any break into this tradition would probably result in a mutiny. Everyone loves them and expects them to be on the table–warm out of the oven. They are indeed deliciously buttery and melt in your mouth. My kids love to slather their still-hot-rolls with more butter. If any are left-over, they are also tasty toasted (with butter of course).

The problem with my original roll recipe is that it contained wheat flour, needless to say, a forbidden ingredient for anyone who must eat gluten-free. When hubby was gluten-free, he could not partake in the buttery treats. He wouldn’t dare out of fear, as pain is a great deterrent.

However, I really wanted him to enjoy a full meal with the rest of us, so this meant creating a recipe he would love.

Success!

I’m happy to report I was very successful in my endeavor. The year I created this recipe, my best gluten-free yeast rolls were devoured!

For me, after receiving hubby’s approval (and the kids who dared try them), the best part about making these rolls was that they were easy despite the lengthy ingredient list.

Notes and Tips

To make these dinner rolls, my all-time favorite gluten-free flour is very fine rice flour because it produces the best results. If your rice flour appears too grainy, put it in a high powered blender (I use a Vitamix) and blend it until it’s a fine powder.

Another favorite flour is sorghum (also called milo). It certainly is more nutritious. However, it produces heavier and denser rolls.

As I will mention in a note below, citric acid is not essential to this recipe. You can still make the rolls without it. Nevertheless, even though it is not a must-have ingredient, it isn’t absolutely useless either. Citric acid helps to recreate the airiness that so often lacks in gluten-free yeast products.

Best Gluten Free Yeast Rolls

On the stovetop, heat the milk to about 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Too hot and the milk will kill the yeast, too cold and the yeast will not activate.

In a large bowl, place the warm milk. Sprinkle the active dry yeast on top and add the sugar. Let this mixture sit until it starts to bubble or foam (this will take a few minutes). This step is called “proofing the yeast”, it ensures your yeast is healthy and will do its job.

Lightly grease some regular muffin trays (I use non-hydrogenated shortening for this purpose). Set aside.

On the stovetop, heat the milk to about 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Too hot and the milk will kill the yeast, too cold and the yeast will not activate.

In a large bowl, place the warm milk. Sprinkle the active dry yeast on top and add the sugar. Let this mixture sit until it starts to bubble or foam (this will take a few minutes). This step is called “proofing the yeast”, it ensures your yeast is healthy and will do its job.

4 Responses

Crystal

Florence

sadly, you cannot use tapioca flour as it is more of a starch than a flour per say and your recipe won’t turn out right. As for almond flour, I would say no as well but I am not sure. A great substitute would be sorghum flour (also called milo). A plus of using sorghum is that it is a whole grain and it still will work wonderfully.